Business Insider – 9 Casino Tricks to Keep You Spending

Casinos are one of the most exciting and glamorous places you can visit. They are flashy and luxurious, with music that pumps you up, and plenty of dining options to make sure you’re well fed. They also offer a variety of different gambling games, from poker to roulette.

While some people have gambling addictions, most are there to enjoy the thrill of the atmosphere and the experience of trying their luck at the tables or slots. There are many famous casinos all over the world, but the Bellagio in Las Vegas is probably the most well-known. The casino has been featured in several movies, including Ocean’s 11, and it has a high-class reputation among gamblers.

The swooping fountains, elegant decor, and top-notch entertainment add to the excitement of visiting a casino. But behind the dazzling lights and high-end amenities lies a dark secret: casinos are designed to keep you spending money. Business Insider lists nine tricks casinos use to keep you playing.

1. DRINKS

You’ve been to a casino before, and you know how it goes: You stride into the Luxor or Mohegan Sun brimming with confidence, wallet in hand, and plans for a bit of enjoyable, sensible gaming and maybe two rounds of drinks. Hours later, you don’t remember what time it is or how much of your money you’ve blown. That’s because casinos serve booze nonstop, and booze lowers inhibitions.

2. LOUD SPEAKERS

The noise from the slot machines and other tables is deafening. You can barely hear your friends talking at the table. The loud speakers are part of the psychological manipulation that keeps you there. 3. NO CLOCKS
Casinos don’t want you to see the clock. They want you to lose track of time, so you’ll keep coming back. They’ll even give you rewards for playing, like free food, to entice you to spend more. This is a classic example of the sunk cost fallacy in action.

4. SCENTS

Casinos use scents to create a manufactured euphoria, luring you in with the promise of relaxation and fun. They waft perfumed scents through the ventilation system and even sell casino-branded fragrances.

5. GAME TITLES

The name of a game is often a trigger for someone to play, whether it’s a nostalgic reminder of childhood memories or the lure of the jackpot. It’s important to understand how a game works before you play it, but don’t let the title fool you into thinking you can win big. There’s always a house edge in games of chance, and the longer you play, the more likely you are to lose.

6. HOUSE EDGE

The house advantage is the mathematically determined advantage that the casino has over the players in games of pure chance (like craps and roulette). In skill-based games, such as blackjack or video poker, the edge is smaller but still exists. The house gains its edge by taking a commission on the bets, known as a rake.